American Presidents





Andrew Jackson
Letters

Andrew Jackson

In the following letter written between the War of 1812 and the First Seminole War, Jackson writes to his wife regarding their son and about a treaty with the Cherokee Nation.

Chikesaw council house Sept. 18th. 1816

My Love,

Tell him his sweet papa labours hard to get money to educate him, but when he learns & becomes a great man, his sweet papa will be amply rewarded for all his care, expence, & pains-
   I have this moment recd. your affectionate letter of the 8th. Instant, I rejoice that you are well & our little son. Tell him his sweept papa hears with pleasure that he has been a good boy & learns his Book, Tell him his sweet papa labours hard to get money to educate him, but when he learns & becomes a great man, his sweet papa will be amply rewarded for all his care, expence, & pains-how thankfull I am to you for taking poor little Lyncoya home & cloathing him-I have been much hurt to see him there with the negroes, like a lost sheep without a sheperd.

  we have had a long and disagreable time of it here, our servants have been all sick, Doctor [James Craine] Bronaugh very low, Jame had like to have went, but is on the mend-I hope we will get through our business tomorrow & leave here day after for Turkey town in the cherokee nation, I hope to reach home about the 5th. or 6th. of october we have made a conditional Treaty with the cheorkee delegation and are to meet a full council at Turkey Town on the 28th. Instant to have it fully ratified--I have a sanguine hope we will be fully successfull with the chikesaw and once more, regain by tribute, what I fairly, & hardly purchased with the sword, so much trouble & cost has been occassioned by the rashness, folly, & Ignorance of a great little man. But as successfull as I have reason to believe we will be at present, I shall be contented-I have truly noted the conduct of the overseer, & negros, as soon as I return will take a satisfactory order on all-and you will charge him to sell nothing without your express orders- I will make him more than answerable for the Vallue-with my sincere prayers for your health and happiness, and my little son & all the family believe me to be affectionately yours.


Andrew Jackson

P.S. I Thank you for your admonition I hope in all my acts & conduct through life they will measure with propriety and dignity, or at least with what I believe true dignity consists, that is to say honesty, propriety of conduct, & honest independence -A.j.
Mr James Jackson on your application will take order on Sampson if necessary, that family will sell any where, better below than in Nashville, but I suppose in Nashville for $14. or 1500-

[The above letter is reproduced exactly as written and was obtained through the Andrew Jackson Papers Project]

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